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Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy
|publisher =Sierra Entertainment |released =December 14, 2000 |genre =Real-time tactics |engine = |modes =Singleplayer, multiplayer |ratings =ESRB Teen, PEGI 16 |platforms =Microsoft Windows |distributed =Retail, digital download }} Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy is a 2000 expansion pack to the real-time tactics video game Ground Control. Developed by Massive Entertainment and High Voltage Software, it was first announced in August 2000 by Sierra Studios. Later in October that year, Sierra further announced that the pack would be included free for new purchases of the original game, the decision having been made to add extra incentive to buying it; existing owners were also entitled and merely needed to apply via online form, also included as a hard copy in specially-marked boxes. The largest additions are an entirely new faction, the Phoenix Mercenaries, and a 15-mission single-player campaign that expands on the original storyline. Other changes include extra multiplayer maps, a few more units for the existing factions and more terrain types. Also of note are the changes in the full motion video cutscenes; the parent game had all of its pre-rendered in the game engine. In contrast, the expansion's cutscenes were done by Blur Studio. Plot The campaign begins a few months after the events of the original, with Major Sarah Parker and her comrades looking to get a way off the planet Krig-7b, on which they are stuck. Battling through Order of the New Dawn stragglers and newly arrived Crayven Corporation forces, the initial missions focus on getting deep space communications working, at the end of which Deacon Jarred Stone is apparently killed. Sarah avenges his death, but feels the situation is lost as the communications array was also destroyed. Help arrives in the unlikely form of an Order the New Dawn battlecruiser that suddenly drops out of hyperspace and destroys its Crayven counterpart. The cruiser then dispatches dropships to the planet surface for Sarah and company. The onboard superior, Cardinal Kila Balor, explains the reason behind the rescue: She would like to hire the aid of Major Parker to destroy a splinter faction, the Second Dawn, which is not recognizing the Order of the New Dawn's authority and is involved in a "dark conspiracy". However, the official Order forces cannot move against the faction directly, fearing open civil war. By supplying Major Parker with untraceable information and finances, she can fight the Second Dawn on their behalf in secret. Major Parker accepts and contact is made with the new faction, the Phoenix Mercenaries. After an eventful campaign across three different planets, Major Parker and her new allies finally destroys the Second Dawn and slay its leader, only to be engaged in a new adventure: Amongst the spoils of war, Major Parker finds an imprisoned Enrica Hayes, former director of Crayven forces on Krieg-7b and an antagonist of the original video game. In exchange for her life and freedom, Enrica Hayes reveals that Deacon Stone is still alive and is being held in a prison facility at Calliope's moon. Major Parker and her mercenary forces invade Calliope's moon in an attempt to liberate Stone. Cardinal Balor and her forces, who want Stone killed for treason take this opportunity to invade at the same time. Thus, a three-sided battle between Crayven Corporation, Order of the New Dawn and Phoenix mercenaries takes place, during which Major Parker rescues Stone. Cardinal Balor herself enters the combat zone but is killed. In a short scene that takes place afterwards, it is revealed that the mysterious "dark conspiracy" was simply a lie invented by a mysterious person called "M" who has mysterious agendas. The game ends abruptly in a cliffhanger. See also *[https://www.gog.com/game/ground_control_expansion Ground Control Anthology on GOG.com] Category:Games Category:Ground Control: Dark Conspiracy